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Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Star De Azlan, "A Man Who Can Dance"

In between repackaging Tim McGraw's hits, killing off Jo Dee Messina's career, and trying to get people to care about Bomshel, Curb recorbs has made a few attempts to introduce the talented young Hispanic singer Star De Azlan to country music audiences, with very limited success. Debut single "She's Pretty" topped out at #51, and follow-up "Like a Rose" failed to chart. Perhaps radio was scared off by her traditional-leaning sound (not that country radio is a haven for new non-blonde female artists in the first place), but now she returns with her most commercially-friendly single thus far.

"A Man Who Can Dance" is exactly what its title promises - a fun, catchy, danceable little ditty. Main character Carmelita is a feisty Latin-American beauty who will quickly dismiss an otherwise-desirable suitor for the reason that "He can't move his hips" or that he "couldn't get the hang of the tango." Why, such a man would never do! She wants... you guessed it... "A Man Who Can Dance"! Specifically, a man proficient in ballroom and Latin dances - a man who can "waltz, rumba, samba..."

It's a cute enough concept, but the real kicker is an arrangement that is a lively fusion of country music and Latin music. Spanish guitars pluck away in the background as Star chirps and rolls the R's all the way through her sprightly performance. As the track ends, the song morphs into an everywoman declaration of "We want a man who can dance!" That development provokes a bit of an eyeroll, but does not prove to be a major detraction from the track's overall charm.

Star has delivered a track that will likely have a wide appeal among country radio listeners, but that's just quirky and offbeat enough stand out among its radio company if radio were to give it a chance. Works for me! But there's no need to overthink it. Just turn up the volume, sing along, and do your little dance.

STAR'S SCORE: 8(Scores are given on a scale of 1 to 10)

HEAR IT on Star's MySpace(You can hear English and Spanish versions of this song as well as Star's two previous singles)